Walking : Weight Loss : Walkloss

Most women seem to be on a perpetual diet, and even those of us who aren’t tend to worry about our size.  Does my bum look too big?  I can’t wear that swimming costume, I’m putting on weight, etc etc…….The fact is though, that most of us are fine as we are: we don’t need to lose weight despite the images we see to the contrary in glossy magazines.

So how can you know if you do need to lose weight? First, you can check your BMI (body mass index). This is a calculation of body fat to height. It allows you to find out whether you’re the right weight for your height. You can find BMI calculators on the Internet – just type it into Google – or you can find one on the BBC. The BMI score will show you where you are on a scale from underweight to obese. The numbers break down like this:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obese = BMI of 30 or greater

If your BMI score does indicate that you are overweight, the best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to gradually change your lifestyle.  You need to eat a healthy, balanced diet and take exercise regularly as part of your daily routine. Like walking!!

Jogging provides an excellent form of exercise. It improves your overall physical condition, tones and shapes muscles and strengthens your cardiovascular system and is a low cost activity which can be entered into at any time of the day or week. There are also benefits to your mental well being if you are taking part in physical activities, resulting in reduced stress, anxiety and lowering levels of depression. On the whole, the benefits of jogging for some people are unquestionable.  Jogging offers the opportunity of joining a running club, meeting new friends and setting and achieving new goals.

Sometimes I even convince myself that nothing could be better for me than jogging around my local park but I know it wouldn’t be long before I thought about the option of walking. This is a pastime that is less strenuous for the body, the risk of knee and ankle damage is greatly reduced by taking part things a little slower and which can be enjoyed by people with many different fitness levels.

I would suggest the perfect start to any fitness regime begins with walking for 30 minutes every day.  There are many opportunities to join clubs and walk in places which are off the beaten track which brings the communal of benefit of sharing an experience. Walking allows time to take in the environment, to appreciate the scenery and the flora and fauna. There are also very few dress requirements when walking although comfortable footwear is essential.

Planning a good walk can come with a real sense of adventure and can be tailored to the interests of the individual. A route can be planned alongside a canal side, through the countryside or even walking towards an idyllic country pub.  Walking can also be a matter of choice, people can choose to walk rather than drive. The benefits here are duel – helping to reduce carbon admissions while improving one’s own health.
I would consider one last point when talking about why walking is better for you than running and that is, no one ever looked silly while walking.

Walking for fitness is as easy and convenient as putting one foot in front of the other. Almost anyone can do it, it helps shift that stubborn fat, increases your overall level of fitness and can create the same ‘high’ as jogging can (without the unnecessary stress on joints – or the boredom).  2500 years ago, Hippocrates stated that walking was the best medicine and as a form of exercise it is now endorsed by most of the world’s leading experts in obesity. Of course, lets not forget that walking is also one of the most cost effective forms of exercise since all you really need to fork out for is a good pair of trainers or walking shoes. Yay!

So while we are bigging up walking, here are a few more incentives for you to get those shoes on and get out there:

• Walking at a good pace for an hour will burn off about 260 calories
• The WHO recommends walking as a fantastic way to “lose weight, lower cholesterol, slow down aging, increase muscle and bone strength, flexibility and balance and increase stamina.”
• Done regularly, walking will slim down the thighs, calves, bum and tummy area.
• Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise it’s super good for counteracting the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Bones are very much like muscles in the way that they grow stronger and a consistent walking routine will aid bone, muscle and tissue growth and renewal.
• Walking every day for 6 months can reduce deep abdominal fat – this is the nasty fat that settles around your internal organs and can significantly add to the risk of cancer and heart disease.
• It makes you feel great!

Around 1.5 million people in the UK suffer from asthma and need to be a bit more careful in this the cold weather – I definitely feel it as soon as I go outside. It’s my first winter with asthma so I have been looking for tips about how to be more careful while out walking in the frost and the snow and these seem to be working for me:

• Cold air can exacerbate your asthma, so cover your face with a good scarf as this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in
• In really cold conditions, prescribed inhalers may not work properly. They should be warmed (eg, in the hands) before use.
• If you know that cold air triggers your asthma, take a couple of puffs of your reliever inhaler before going outside and keep it with you at all times
• Keep taking your regular preventer medicines as prescribed by your doctor
• Take extra special care when exercising in cold weather. Warm up for 10–15 minutes first.
• If you are going out and about with others, make sure they know you have asthma should  you become short of breath.